Interactive game that empowers participants through the use of imagery to help fight their illness and disease and to focus their mental energy to aid in healing and well-being

ABSTRACT

We have developed an interactive game that empowers participants through the use of imagery to help fight their illness and disease and to focus their mental energy to aid in healing and well-being. The game is played by means of a computer system or handheld type instrument or other multi-media device using audio-visuals. It can be played on this type of system at a multitude of places such as during treatment in a hospital or doctor&#39;s office, at a health care facility, or at home. It can be adapted to other computer-related or multi-media systems that could be developed. It is the sequence of game choices and goal of the game to empower the user to focus his/her mental energy positively that makes it unique.

[0001] This application is based upon a prior Provisional PatentApplication No. 60/465,097, which has a Filing Date of Apr. 24, 2003.

[0002] The invention is an interactive game that empowers participantsthrough the use of imagery to help fight their illness and disease andto focus their mental energy to aid in healing and well-being.

[0003] We specify that there is scientific evidence that a person'smental attitude and positive thoughts can affect healing. We believethere is a benefit to our concept and that it could aid in the healingprocess. The person's mind would be actively involved and focused onhis/her illness or injury in order to positively affect the healingprocess.

[0004] The game is played by means of a computer or handheld typeinstrument or other multi-media device with audio-visuals. Choices areprovided for the user in order to create images on which to focushis/her mind and mental energy. By focusing the user's mind and mentalenergy, the game assists the empowerment of healing and promoteswell-being.

[0005] The game contains basic sections with variables that the userchooses to personalize the game. Parts of the game include:

[0006] Choosing a Player

[0007] Choosing A Weapon

[0008] Choosing A Path and Target

[0009] Let the Game Begin (Accomplishing the Goal)

[0010] Choosing A Player:

[0011] The game prompts the user to select a player from a pre-definedlibrary of players. By manner of illustration, the library may contain agraphic image of options that may include an Angel, Astronaut, Artist,Pet Animal, Wild Animal, Cartoon Character, Captain, Child—Boy or Girl,Cleaning Person, Construction Worker, Cook, Cowboy or Cowgirl, Dancer,Disc Jockey, Doctor, Fireman or Firewoman, Gardener, Make BelieveCreature, Media Announcer, Medical Technician, Meteorologist(Weatherperson), Monster, Mover, Musician, Nurse, Person—Man or Woman,Pilot, Pioneer, Police, Scientist, Soldier, Sportsboy or Sportsgirl,Sportsman or Sportswoman, Superhero, Teenage Girl or Boy, Veterinarian,Wrestler, Warrior, or the like.

[0012] Choosing A Transport:

[0013] The game prompts the user to choose a transportation vehicle froma pre-defined library of transport vehicles. By manner of illustration,the library may contain a graphic image of an Ambulance, Animal,Bicycle, Boat, Bobsled, Car, Climbing Equipment, Cloud, Dogsled,Equipment such as Digger, Lawnmower, Tractor, Feet, Firetruck, Fly, GoCart, Horse, Ladder, Motorcycle, Motorized Vehicle, Plane, Pogo Stick,Police Car or Van, Race Car, Raft, Rollerblades, Rope, Scooter, Ship,Skateboard, Skates, Skis, Sled, Snowboard, Snowmobile, Spaceship /Starship, Stretcher / Magic Carpet, Surfboard, Tank, Truck such asConstruction, Garbage, Pick up, Water, Wheelbarrow, Wheelchair, or thelike.

[0014] Choosing A Weapon:

[0015] The game prompts the user to choose a weapon to attack theillness or soothe the injury. The weapon is selected from a pre-definedlibrary of weapons. By manner of illustration, the weapon may be anAnimal, Artistic Tools, Ball, Body-Kicks, Hits, Bow and Arrows, CleaningTools, Claw, Colors, Cooking, Utensils, Darts, Feathers, Fire, Fishpole,Flowers, Gardening Tools, Hockey Stick and Puck, Ice Cold to Freeze,Lasso, Lightning, Lips with Kisses, Magic Tricks, Medical Equipment,Musical Instrument, Musical Notes, Mystery Box of Stuff, Net,Racket-Lacrosse or Tennis, Shovel, Snowballs, Spear, Sports Equipment,Strength and Super Powers, Swords, Teeth, Tools such as Jackhammer orScooper, Warming Rays of Light, Water, Wrappings of Texture andSoftness, or the like.

[0016] Choosing A Path and Target:

[0017] The game prompts the user to choose a path and target. The pathis the direction the transport takes and is a means to reach the target.By manner of illustration, the path can be:

[0018] Outside the Body

[0019]  Abdomen, Ankle, Arms, Back, Bones, Face—Ears, Eyes, Lips orNose, Feet, Fingers, Hair, Hands, Head, Hips, Jaw, Knees, Legs, Neck,Pelvis, Ribs, Skin, Shoulders, Muscles, Tendons, Teeth, Throat, Toes orthe like.

[0020] Inside the Body

[0021]  Appendix, Bladder, Brain, Circulatory System—Arteries and Veins,Colon, Diaphragm, Duodenum, Esophagus, Face—Ears, Eyes, Mouth, Nose orTongue, Female Body Parts, Gall Bladder, Glands—Adrenal or Pituitary,Heart, Intestine, Kidneys, Liver, Lungs, Male Body Parts, Nerves,Pancreas, Rectum, Ribs, Sinuses, Skull, Spinal Cord, Spine, Spleen,Stomach, Thyroid, Urethra, or the like.

[0022] The target is the visual embodiment of the disease or ailmenttoward which the user is focusing his/her mental energy. The target maybe either internal or external to the user's body, and is selected froma pre-defined library of targets. By manner of illustration, the targetmay be a tumor, burn, cancer, broken bone, etc.

[0023] Let the Game Begin:

[0024] The game commences with the player possessing a weapon, taking apath and maneuvering a transport vehicle to reach the target. The playerthen attacks the target (or soothes the injury) with the weapon. Whilethe game player accomplishes the goal, the actual user focuses his/hermental energy and mind on the action in order to positively affecthealing and well-being.

[0025] Conclusion:

[0026] At the conclusion of the game, an inspirational message isdisplayed such as:

Congratulations!

You have attained your goal.

[0027] We envision an appropriate title for the game such as RUKISS. (Wehave a trademark application serial number 76/160230 for the mark RUKISSREWARD YOURSELF WITH A KISS.) At the end of the game, an image such aslips forming a big kiss is displayed along with the words:

RUKISS

Reward yourself with a Kiss

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0028] In the 1970's, Victoria Kaplan became ill and believed she couldhelp her healing process by using her positive mental energy. She begana regime of swimming every day, and her mind focused on healing. As sheswam, she imagined a house with windows wide open. With the force of herarm's swimming stroke, she swept the bad cells out. Each accompanyingkick through the water energized her healthy cells to take control. Shethought that through her mind's imagery of cleaning a house, she couldcleanse her body, and her illness would lose control. Her positiveenergy could fight the disease. And it worked.

[0029] In 1998, she had a relapse and again actively participated in herhealing. Her mental energy became important in the healing process.While being treated intravenously at home, with her children playinggames to distract them from their mother's illness, Victoria came upwith an idea. Wouldn't it be great to play a game while being treatedfor her illness? She took it a step further and thought about a gamethat could help her focus mentally to fight her symptoms. She discussedit with her sister Laurel Goldberg, and it was then that the ideaformalized into the concept for a healing game.

SUMMARY

[0030] This interactive game empowers participants through the use ofimagery to help fight illness and disease and to focus their mentalenergy to aid in their healing and well-being.

EXAMPLE OF A GAME SCENARIO

[0031] There are many games based on characters eating power packs tobecome stronger in order to win over a monster. This concept takes gamesto a new level. The character becomes a fighter who helps the user wipeout his/her disease. With the help of this fighter, the user focuseshis/her mind and works against the illness.

[0032] As illustration, a goal of the game can the destruction of thediseased part of the body. The chosen player has a weapon and transportin which to travel to go forth and attack the target whether it is abroken bone, auto-immune disease or burn.

[0033] For example, a person has a tumor. By the person's choices, miniscuba divers with spears swim through the blood stream to the locationof the tumor. They toss their spears to hit the mass, capture it intheir nets, and it is destroyed. The person playing the game focuseshis/her mind and mental energy and participates in the healing processand the destruction of the body's disease.

[0034] Another example of how to play the game is with the goal ofcomforting. The game choices could be puppies traversing the skin tocuddle and lick the damaged area and heal the hurt.

[0035] By making choices of the game's variables, there can be numerousmanifestations such as:

[0036] Garbage truck drivers who gather the garbage (diseased part) andtoss it out

[0037] Lawnmowers with blades that mow down the disease

[0038] Teeth that bite out the hurt and chew away the disease

[0039] An artist with a brush painting healing colors on injured areas

[0040] A baseball player batting a ball to hit the spot to heal theinjury.

[0041] The principle remains the same—to create an image on which tofocus the user's mind and mental energy to empower him/her to assist inthe fight against an injury, pain, illness or disease and promotehealing and well-being.

We claim:
 1. We have developed an interactive game that empowersparticipants through the use of imagery to help fight their illness anddisease and to focus their mental energy to aid in healing andwell-being. The game is played by means of a computer system or handheldtype instrument or other multi-media device using audio-visuals. It canbe played on this type of system during treatment in a hospital ordoctor's office, at a health care facility, or at home. Choices will beprovided for the player in order to create images on which to focus theplayer's mind and mental energy. By focusing their mind and mentalenergy, the player will assist in fighting against an injury, pain,illness or disease, and also promote well-being and healing.